Lexi’s Comments (group member since Jul 27, 2016)

Lexi’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

DQs Day 1, Chapters 1 - 6

1. As someone who grew up with the Pern books, I love diving back into a world with dragons and dragon riders. And this one has extra bonus Gryphons, apparently!
Do you have any first impressions of the main characters (Violet, Dain, Rhiannon, Xader) and the world building? Do you want to know more?

I started ok being ok with it and then the description of the two males and setting up a potential love/lust triangle thing was a bit much and really annoyed me. At which point, I stopped the audio and kept reading and am doing a bit better again. But really, could we have a book where we are about to die and don’t need to describe people’s abs at the same moment. That is a personal pet peeve. I like the sisterly relationships and the friendship starting. It is good to have no romantic relationships and I hope they are central going forwards. I liked Pern but I really dislike magic school stories generally, a few exceptions such as Naomi Novik which I love, but I don’t have high expectations going forwards unless we get out of school fairly soon.

2. What do you think of Violet’s mother and sister? Any idea about why her mother chose to order her to the Rider Quadrant instead of the Scribe Quadrant?
Because this book needed an antagonistic relationship with the dragon riders and a plot. More seriously she seems to think it is the only important position.

3. The brutality of the selection process and the casual acceptance of murder is something else. What do you think the purpose of it is? (If there is one beyond societal norms.)
Would you have given your boot to a stranger?

There seems to be no reason yet to why there needs to be this kind of murder and death toll. Also, the frightening everyone with a dragon. They don’t seem to be in all-out war and even then, these people qualified above infantry so possibly if you failed out, they would still make superior ground forces. I think the author wanted a high-risk scenario but I don’t yet think it is given a decent reason why.

4. So this is a world at war, but at the battle briefings at least, they don’t seem to know why the outer provinces are currently attacking the borders. Any ideas about why this is happening?

No ideas and I am not sure we will be given a reason. It may be one of those we have always been at war situations, which I find lazy writing but can be done right.

5. Do you think that Violet will survive and get chosen by a dragon? If so, any predictions on what kind?

Yes, and likely a really nice one because that is how these books work. Also, this is a series with apparently a planned five books. The second one is already longer. I deeply hope it does not fix her physical disabilities such as laxity of joints because I want her to succeed with that being a part of who she is and not magically fixed. I hate books that magically fix disabilities.

Note: I read them when I was exhausted last night so I hope to be in a better mood for my questions tomorrow.

Logan wrote: "Would either of these work for the night sky like diamonds?"

I'd say yes to as they are white and shiny.

Aoife, do you have any interest in writing BOM questions for Fourth Wing? This would be my 5th time during TTs if you would like to try. No worries if you don't have time this week.

We got a 2nd round of

Tower Teams 4: NBRC Goals
"Read a book with an average goodreads rating of between 3.01 and 3.5
Read a book with diamonds on the cover or with a night sky that looks like diamonds
Read a book with stationery on the cover
Read a book where the page numbers add to 5 (i.e. 345 pages = 3+4+5 = 12)

Michelle wrote: "For this one:
Read a book featuring DEATH or the Grim Reaper or equivalent
Could we use my Harper Connelly book? She can find the dead and see how they died. Kind of grim reaper-esq?
Or I can star..."

I don't think it works but Charley Davidson would.

I made us a square from read book under 400 pages and not currently claiming a hard letter:

Rock God
Doom with a view
Wait for It
The Body Finder

Michelle wrote: "Just fixed it.."

Thank you

The two new spins:

TT3: Save Christmas

Read 4 books with title start and end letters that connect to make a square (well, quadrilateral)

"The top and bottom titles should be read left to right; the left and right titles downwards. (i.e. first letter of top title is same as first letter of left title. first letter of bottom title is same as last letter of left title."

Second and last time for TT8: Discworld Tasks

Read a book featuring a witch or wizard
Read a book with MPG Crime
Read a book with the letters MOIST in the title
Read a book featuring DEATH or the Grim Reaper or equivalent

We got two new spins and we still need:

Tower Teams 4: NBRC Goals
Read a book with diamonds on the cover or with a night sky that looks like diamonds
Read a book with stationery on the cover

Great job, everyone

Michelle wrote: "I just finished a book with an X character. I added it to the spell out but move it wherever it is most useful!"

Michelle, can you check your two most recent books have completion dates? They are on your TT shelf but have no read date, thank you.

That is perfect, thank you both

Great job everyone

We got two new spins:

Tower Teams 7: Sins
"Read four books that have one of the following MPGs. Each book must have a different MPG (i.e. can't use Romance four times)
MPGs: Dystopia / Young Adult / Historical Romance / Guilty Pleasure / Dark Fantasy / Contemporary / Horror"


Tower Teams 4: NBRC Goals
"Read a book with an average goodreads rating of between 3.01 and 3.5
Read a book with diamonds on the cover or with a night sky that looks like diamonds
Read a book with stationery on the cover
Read a book where the page numbers add to 5 (i.e. 345 pages = 3+4+5 = 12)"


I'll go through and look at read books next and update which ones are still needed.

DQs Day 5 - Wimbledon 1995 & The 1995 US Open

18. Nature vs nurture. Carrie has her issues with tennis, but her real struggle is with relationships. How much of that do you think is due to who Carrie is innately as a person and how she was raised?

I think it is from how she was raised and the toxic environment from entirely focusing on tennis and not having any relationships outside her father/couch for most of her childhood.

19. I don’t know much about tennis, but I found myself really enjoying the matches as they are described. I got so pumped up while Carrie was playing! Did you find all the tennis terms, both during and after matches, to be a hinderance or did you enjoy getting immersed in the sport through Carrie’s eyes?

I liked them since I was listening to it on audio at 2.25 which is faster than I have ever done a book before. It helped that not a lot happened expect for a lot of tennis matches being narrated. More could have been spent on relationships outside of the one with her father if the author wanted us to believe in them.

20. Carrie Soto, the star of our novel, has been seen previously in a TJR novel where she was a minor character. TJR seems to enjoy connecting her books which makes me wonder… could her next book be about one of the minor characters we’ve come across in Carrie Soto is Back? And, if so, who do you think it would be?

No idea, hopefully no more tennis, though I liked Nikki. Maybe go back to the last book, that house party had a huge number of people.

21. ”But right now, in this moment, I love this drugstore cologne more than I love the smell of Wimbledon grass or California oranges or the rubber of a freshly popped can of tennis balls. This drugstore cologne is my home.”

I really loved this quote and it made me start thinking about some of my favorite smells. What are some scents that you love? What scent would be your home?

Scents have very strong memories, even ones where it is hard to describe like what my great Aunt’s house (some of that was mothballs I am pretty sure). It is a fond memory even if it was a bad scent. A bit of a weird statement but I know what both of my cats smell like and I knew when one was sick before, he smelled different. I am very response to smells which is not always a good thing.

22. And, finally, how did you like this book? What was your rating? Would you consider reading more from this author if you haven't already?
I liked it more than her other books but that may be because half of it was like listening to sports on the radio. I found her other books more tedious so I didn’t hate it but it was still shallow.

Tracking
Day 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5 - here

DQs Day 3 - The Australian Open (58%)

9. Gwen sends Carrie a gift the start day of the Australian Open…a Discman! The first song it plays is ‘The Bitch is Back’…I love this album. I immediately went to play me some Elton John tunes😊 Do you have a song or routine that gets you revved up…sets a tone to put you in the right state of mind? I get focused on one song some times and play it over and over and then a new one. They can be really old or new songs and the genres vary.

10. Reflections--
Carrie thinks…I inhabit the silence of this moment with my father, when we are still asking questions and do not yet have to live with the answers. What do you think she means at this moment in time with that comment?
"Te quiero mucho, pichona," he says.
I open up my eyes, "I know. I love you too."
Javier and Carrie both have many reflective moments throughout these matches… Is this a premonition of what’s to come with the open or even more in the future? I think the parental relationship is the strongest in the book and nice to focus on. Also, yes foreshadowing, this author seems to like heavy handed foreshadowing.

12. We hear from the media in various forms throughout. What are your thoughts about some of their comments so far? Do you believe any of them have affected Carrie or the game? I was thinking about this especially when Gwen indicates Elite Gold was pulling back some of their ads prior to the French Open. Gwen has a role in her job with managing all of this…what are your thoughts about the impact of media and advertising with sport? It is very much an industry that exists to make money. I listened to the audio and I really liked how interspersed the new castes were and how they added to the discussion and how these women were discussed. I think it was realistic or could have been worse.

13. Carrie’s been doing some very smart training thanks to her father. She’s been practicing in recent weeks with Bowe on clay and Bowe has challenged her, calling her a ‘quitter’. And here at the end of this segment, she’s just had a challenge from Nikki Chan. Is she going to win? Is Nikki? What do you anticipate happening in Paris? I liked Nikki quite a bit and wonder since the author connects all her books, makes me wonder if we will see more of her. I’m done at this point so not guessing but the narrative arc of the book could not have her win quite yet.

DQs Day 1 - Chan v Cortez & The First Time Around (26%)

1. The most popular releases by Taylor Jenkins Reid have been BOMs in this group before (Daisy Jones & The Six in 2019, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in 2021, and Malibu Rising last year). Have you read any of these books (or others) by TJR too or is Carrie Soto is Back your first book by the author? What are your expectations going in?
I have read them all and I dislike them. I kept waiting for the house in Malibu Rising to burn down in the hope the book might end sooner. I keep reading them for team challenges and I still hate them. I find them shallow, and I generally dislike all the characters and the foreshadowing is annoying. I don’t like Tennis, so I have very low expectations for this book. I hope it reads quickly.

2. After the first chapter is set in 1994 and Carrie Soto decides to get back into the sport to get her record title back the next few chapters follow her early years up until she felt like she had to retire because of her knee injury (and because she felt humiliated lbr) somewhat 30 years later. Her dad always wanted her to be the greatest whereas her mother just wanted her to be kind and happy. It doesn't seem like Carrie is either at this point in her life, also not the greatest anymore. How do you feel about her as a character so far? What do you think (sort of) being forced into retirement by her own body has done to her, mentally and physically; do you think she's changed at all in the last 5 years?
It can’t be easy, and my knees started disliking me at age 30 so I get some of it. (I started running cross-country in middle school but was never very good). However, she is fairly unlikable so far and sports will always be shorter than other occupations, so a backup plan isn’t a surprise.

3. What we've learned about Carrie's childhood and teenage years has quickly started to remind me of 'King Richard' the movie about the Williams sisters' life and I'm seeing a lot of similarities between Carrie's dad Javier and the Williams' (movie) dad (as I'm sure is often the case when athletes' parents are involved in their kids' sports careers/futures).
Javier seemed to have good intentions and only ever wanted what (he at least thought) was best for his daughter, but they grew apart after going separate ways in 1979. As we know, they've found their way back together (does this sound weird seeing they're father and daughter??), but things definitely changed between them. How do you feel about Javier and about his and Carrie's relationship growing up vs now?
I haven’t seen the movie or know much about it. Parents are often involved in sports and even coaching. Children often move apart from parents as they age and have different goals. Also, still don’t care that much about anyone yet.


4. It seems like Carrie doesn't believe in love (or actually of being worthy of being loved imo). She's been having flings/ONS left and right apparently, and appearing in tabloids with random guys regularly. The one time she let herself finally believe this could be IT for the long run was with Brandon Randall (who some of us already knew from Malibu Rising) who was cheating on his then wife with her. No surprise he left her for (yet) another woman, but were you surprised Carrie took him back after he wanted to go back to his ex-wife and she rejected him? Do you think losing her mother at such a young age and only ever having her dad as a single parent in her life has influenced how she views love, relationships and generally a deeper bond with other people?
A dead mother is always a convenient explanation for bad bonding patterns. Seems lazy writing it gets used so often. I feel like that part was given no time or effort because the author assumed we had read the other book or something. I thought if the author wanted us to feel it in this book, she should have spent more time on this relationship.

Logan, Mahi, and Aoife, how are you all doing with your Wheel books?

I added two new ones:

Bloody Mary and Ahool are both back

Thank you

Brittany, are you ok if we use yours for page range instead? We are short so far this month on the 500 page range books.

Rebecca wrote: "I’ll have the last quidditch book done tonight. RL crept in this morning…"

Thank you for the update